This homemade chicken alfredo has a creamy, cheesy sauce tossed with your pasta noodle of choice and topped with tender pan-cooked chicken breast. It’s an easy meal the whole family will love!
I created this recipe for my oldest son, who orders chicken alfredo every time he sees it on a restaurant menu. I wanted to be able to make it for him at home, and I also wanted my alfredo recipe to be easy enough that you can make it on a busy weeknight.
After a few rounds of recipe testing, here it is: the best (easy!) chicken alfredo. This is the version that earned two thumbs up from my whole family!
Why You’ll Love this Chicken Alfredo Recipe
- The sauce is creamy and flavorful without being overly heavy. I opted to use whole milk in this recipe rather than heavy cream to keep this dish on the lighter side. I’m so happy with the way it turned out!
- Between the chicken, pasta and cheesy sauce, this dish is a delicious and satisfying meal. Add in a veggie side (I highly recommend my roasted broccoli) or a simple Caesar Salad and dinner is done!
- This 30 minute recipe comes together in two pans – one to cook the pasta and a second to cook the chicken and alfredo sauce and put it all together.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Pasta: Fettuccine is traditional for alfredo, but my family prefers this with bowtie pasta. Use whichever noodle you prefer, long or short, all will work!
- Olive Oil: For cooking the chicken.
- Chicken Breast: I use chicken breast cutlets or thin-sliced chicken breasts so that they cook through relatively quickly. You can also cut thicker chicken breasts into cutlets yourself by slicing them in half horizontally.
- Italian Seasoning, Garlic Powder, Salt and Pepper: To season the chicken and alfredo sauce.
- Butter, Flour and Garlic: The butter and flour combine to make a roux to thicken the sauce. Fresh garlic adds delicious flavor.
- Milk: I use whole milk for a rich sauce that isn’t too heavy. You can substitute heavy cream for a richer sauce or 2% milk for a lighter dish.
- Parmesan: I recommend buying a block of Parmesan and grating it yourself. Freshly grated cheese will melt into the sauce much better than the pre-grated cheese you can buy at the grocery store.
Find the full recipe with ingredient amounts below.
Season the Chicken and the Sauce
The key to making the best chicken alfredo is to season both the chicken and the sauce. I use dried seasonings for ease plus fresh garlic to bring lots of flavor. Don’t forget to taste the alfredo pasta at the end and add more salt and pepper if needed.
How to Make Chicken Alfredo
Plus my best tips for making it!
Cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to the package directions for al dente. Drain it, but don’t rinse it – you want the starches to stay on the noodles to help the sauce stick to the pasta.
Season and cook the chicken. Season both sides of the chicken cutlets with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Cook them in olive oil in a skillet until cooked through, about 4-7 minutes per side. Then transfer them to a clean plate and cover to keep warm.
Make the alfredo sauce. Melt the butter in the pan and then add the garlic and flour. Stir and cook for 30 seconds. Then stir in the milk and seasonings. Simmer the sauce at a low simmer for 2-3 minutes until it thickens. Be careful to not let it boil or the sauce could separate or curdle. Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan.
Finish and serve. Stir the cooked pasta into the sauce. Slice the chicken and serve it on top of the pasta. Garnish with fresh parsley and enjoy!
Serving Ideas
Enjoy this chicken alfredo with:
- A simple Green Salad.
- A vegetable side dish like Roasted Brussels Sprouts or my favorite Roasted Green Beans (I bake them with almonds and garlic – so good!).
- Garlic Bread, Focaccia or Dinner Rolls.
More Family Dinner Favorites
Here are a few more easy dinner ideas I think you’ll love:
Made this recipe? I’d truly appreciate if you leave a comment and star rating below! Your review will help others who want to try this recipe. Thank you! 💛
Easy Chicken Alfredo
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dry pasta, such as farfalle (bowtie) or fettuccine
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breast cutlets*, or thin-sliced chicken breasts
- salt and pepper, to season chicken
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups whole milk, see note
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt, plus more, to taste
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- black pepper, to taste
- ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- finely chopped fresh parsley, optional, for serving
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions for al dente. Drain (do not rinse.)8 ounces dry pasta
- Meanwhile, season chicken cutlets with salt, pepper and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 4-7 minutes per side, until cooked through. (The center should read 165° F on an instant read thermometer.) Transfer chicken cutlets to a clean plate and cover with foil to keep warm. (Optional: wash out the skillet.)1 tablespoon olive oil, 4 boneless skinless chicken breast cutlets*, salt and pepper, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Add the butter to the pan and cook until melted. Add the minced garlic and flour and cook for 30 seconds, stirring. Stir in the milk, remaining ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder and a bit of black pepper.2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 3 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 ½ cups whole milk, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, black pepper
- Bring to a gentle simmer. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until slightly thickened. Do not let the sauce boil.
- Remove pan from the heat and stir in the grated Parmesan, a little at a time, until it melts into the sauce. Then stir in the cooked pasta. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Slice chicken into ½-inch thick slices. Serve chicken over pasta, with a sprinkle of fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
- You can buy thin-sliced chicken breasts or chicken cutlets at many grocery stores or make them yourself by slicing boneless skinless chicken breasts in half horizontally.
- I make this with whole milk and it makes a rich and creamy sauce. For an even richer dish, you can substitute heavy cream. 2% milk may be used for a lighter sauce, but I wouldn’t recommend using 1% or nonfat milk.
